I've been tinkering with static web apps and really enjoying the experience. As a software company, we leverage a SQL server backend with a staff-facing web app and an e-commerce website, which is split into a UI and an API site. We host about 70% of our clients, mainly in Azure using PaaS, with some in on-prem VMs and a few in AWS VMs. I think static web apps could be a great fit for our clients, providing benefits like a global CDN, seamless CI/CD, and free deployment environments, even for non-Azure clients since their e-commerce API is public.
However, I'm considering if we should transition our API layers to one of the Azure Functions options. I'm not very experienced with Functions, and my current setup is on Azure App Service or IIS in VMs. I'm aiming for a proof of concept, but I have reservations:
1. Non-Azure clients may not benefit.
2. It would require significant restructuring to build out all the Functions.
3. I doubt it would be more cost-effective. Given our clients' traffic, a consumption-based model may not be ideal, and it feels like using Functions could be similar in cost to sticking with an App Service. What do you think?
4 Answers
Your third point about cost is key here. An adequately planned App Service should meet your needs well. Don’t overlook the containerization route too; that's a critical decision that can affect your future scalability.
Honestly, I believe choosing Functions might be a decision you'd regret down the line. It’s better to go with platforms that give you more flexibility.
Have you considered hosting your API as a Docker container? It lets you use Static Web Apps flexibly and host your API on Container Apps, App Service, or Kubernetes. Functions can really lock you into Azure, which could complicate migrations later.
I’d caution against using Functions since it can lead to vendor lock-in, which is a real risk for your business. You’d need to adjust your code to run as a Function, and if you ever want to switch back to an App Service or even move to a different cloud provider, it’s a hassle. Nowadays, everyone seems to be going for container solutions instead. If Kubernetes seems too complex, Azure’s Container Apps could be a solid choice.
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